Turner helps SHG contend in CS8

Malik Turner’s future is football, but the present is focused on basketball as he and other members of the Sacred Heart-Griffin boys team are intent on making the sport as successful as football at the high school.

Malik Turner’s future is football, but the present is focused on basketball as he and other members of the Sacred Heart-Griffin boys team are intent on making the sport as successful as football at the high school.

His leadership abilities — not to mention his scoring — have the Cyclones in the Central State Eight Conference title hunt, one conference crown that has eluded the school.

“The goal is to win the conference,” Turner said. “The goal is to win (period). We want to leave a mark here at SHG. That (winning a conference crown) is a good start.”

At 9-2 in CS8 play and 16-4 overall, the Cyclones are tied with Southeast and sit a half-game behind Lincoln for the conference lead.

“We’re sitting where we’re at today for a lot of reasons, but obviously Malik Turner is a big part of that,” SHG coach Blake Lucas said.

Turner is also a big part of the football team, and football is a big part of Turner.

Despite breaking his left ankle in each of the last two years, the junior receiver finished with 16 catches in six games for 346 yards and three touchdowns.

Missing that much time hasn’t scared off the college recruiters. Last week, Turner picked up his first offer, from the University of Illinois. More offers are likely to follow.

Excellent passer

Turner, who leads SHG in scoring at 10.9 points per game, said he thinks his greatest basketball attribute isn’t scoring but being a facilitator.

Lucas said that is an indicator of Turner’s character.

“He’s a great distributor of the ball, and just for him to say that kind of gives you an idea of what type of kid he is,” Lucas said. “Malik’s got all the tools, but he doesn’t necessarily want all the limelight.”

When asked if he could be getting basketball offers if he had dedicated himself on the court more instead of the football field, Turner quickly shied away from answering that.